The annual Canada’s Best Diversity Employers Competition recognizes Canadian employers that have exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs. The rankings, published in the March 28 edition of the Globe and Mail, feature the diversity leaders in their industry and region of Canada.

“Ryerson is proud and excited to be recognized for our work to create a diverse and inclusive culture where people can learn, grown their careers, and excel at their work in an environment where health and wellbeing are priorities; where respect and inclusion are priorities; and where they can bring their whole selves to work,” said Christina Sass-Kortsak, assistant vice-president of Human Resources. “Our values are clearly stated in the Academic Plan, and that sets a tone and a direction that informs everything that we do.”

Ryerson was cited, external link for Access Ryerson, the campus-wide accessibility initiative that aims to identify and remove barriers to inclusion for persons with disabilities.

The university was also praised for its dedicated accessibility website, with resources including a “Smart Campus” app that provides real-time alerts about service disruptions on campus; and its participation in MindFest, an annual day of workshops and events on mental wellbeing in partnership with University of Toronto and OCAD.

Diversity at Ryerson is an ongoing initiative and every year, the university aims to do more.

Tamar Myers, director of strategic planning, assessment and special projects for the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), pointed to Ryerson’s Diversity Self-ID initiative as part of a commitment to transparency.

“We collect data for five equity groups—women, racialized people, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ people,” said Myers. “We share a considerable amount of aggregated information in our report. It’s really the only report of its kind at a Canadian university. With this information, we can take action to address gaps in representation.”

Myers also pointed to Ryerson’s responsiveness to issues affecting the community. “For example, the Lifeline Syria challenge involves Ryerson community members supporting Syrian refugees and helping to bring them to Canada. We also have sexual violence prevention initiatives such as Consent Comes First, and mental wellbeing initiatives like MindFest.”

In addition, Ryerson is recognized as one of the 2017 Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for, among other initiatives, professional development through tuition waivers, rebates and other learning opportunities and a robust awards and recognition program.